Anthurium hybrid.
xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Valentine.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Altha, Fla. The objective of the program was to develop a well branching, compact pot Anthurium cultivar, resistant to Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae, with attractive spathes and a good flower count. The new Anthurium was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1998 as a seedling within the progeny of a cross made in 1995 in a controlled environment in Altha, Fla. The female parent was a proprietary Anthurium seedling selection identified by the code number 91-11-48, obtained by the Inventor in the same breeding program, not patented. The male parent was a selected clone of Anthurium hybrid cultivar Lady Jane identified by the code number 941, not patented.
Asexual propagation of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99, since 1998, by means of tissue culture in Altha, Fla. has established that the unique characteristics of this new cultivar are in fact stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Anthurium cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and/or horticultural practices such as temperature, light intensity, day length, fertilization, irrigation, propagation procedures etc., without any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of pot Anthurium:
1. Medium size plant, appropriate for 15-cm to 20-cm containers;
2. Symmetrical and full growth habit;
3. Relatively vigorous growth;
4. Abundant and relatively early branching;
5. Early, very abundant and year-round flowering;
6. Deep red, glossy spathes with contrasting cream-colored spadices held above foliage;
7. Very good inflorescence longevity on the plant;
8. Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae. 
Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the female parent, a proprietary Anthurium seedling selection identified by the code number 91-11-48, by its smaller size; earlier and more abundant branching; more abundant flowering; smaller leaf blades; much darker red, glossier, smaller, flatter, more horizontal spathes held closer to foliage; shorter, straight, cream-colored spadices as opposed to curved, dark purple spadices of 91-11-48; and greater inflorescence longevity on the plant.
Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the male parent, a selected clone of Anthurium hybrid cultivar Lady Jane identified by the code number 941, by its earlier and more abundant branching; earlier and more abundant flowering; smaller leaf blades; more ovate, shorter spathes, with lower length:width ratio, glossier, deep red and held above foliage as opposed to dark pink spathes of Lady Jane # 941, often held among foliage; cream-colored spadices as opposed to pinkish-cream spadices of Lady Jane # 941; and greater inflorescence longevity on the plant.
The new cultivar can be compared to its siblings, cultivars: xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99 U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/960,456 and xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/961,829. The comparisons were made on plants of the same age, grown side-by-side under the same greenhouse conditions in Altha, Fla.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Salsa in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are narrower, have taller foliage and fuller growth habit than plants of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 branch earlier and more abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 start flowering later, but flower more abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
4. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller with lower length to width ratio than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller, with lower length to width ratio and are held closer to foliage than spathes of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are deep red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99 are pink-red.
7. Spadices of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller than spadices of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Favorita in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller and have slightly fuller growth habit than plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 start flowering later, but flower more abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
3. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller, lighter green and less glossy than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
4. Peduncles of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are thinner, weaker and shorter than peduncles of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller, have lower length to width ratio; are held higher above foliage and have better longevity on the plant than spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are deep red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are orange-red.
7. Spadices of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller and cream-colored, whereas spadices of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are pink-purple.
The new cultivar can be compared to the known Anthurium cultivar xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,355, a/k/a Red Hot(trademark). The comparisons were made on plants of the same age, grown side-by-side under the same greenhouse conditions in Altha, Fla.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar 75-10 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are smaller and have smaller leaf blades than plants of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.
2. Inflorescences of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are of a good quality from the onset of flowering, whereas several first spathes produced by plants of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are very small and deformed.
3. Spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are held closer to foliage, are more horizontal, flatter, less puckered, glossier and deeper red.
4. Spadices of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are shorter, straight and cream-colored, whereas spadices of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are usually curved and dark purple.
5. Inflorescences of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 have greater longevity on the plant than inflorescences of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.